Method and apparatus for working cylindrical sheet metal articles having closed bottoms



2,206,296 urn-non AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING CYLINDRICAL SHEET INVENTOR vc. L. CLARK IE'IAL ARTICLES HAVING CLOSED BUTTONS Filed Aug.

July 2, 1 940.

5 ent invention to provide an improved and inexunison radially withrespect to said shell to, 3.

t 40 ends and beingdmwn r asingle blankrof the following descriptionproceeds, reference be- 40,

Patented July 2,1940 v o it r 2,206,296

, "UNITED[STATES PA .ENT OFFICE a 2,206,296 1 METHOD AND APPARATUSFORVWORKINGI it CYLINDRICAL SHEET METAL ARTICLES HAvrNe cLosnDno'r'roivrs n Carl L. Clark, WarrenQOhio nastasia s, 1936, SerialNo.94,598 v 3 Claims (01. 153-29) My invention relates to a method of andapbetween rolls engaging both faces of the shell paratus forrolling-inor reducing the diameter thereby preventing wrinkles forming.

of the open end portion of drawn or welded cy- The improved method of mypresent invention lindrical metallic shells having closed bottoms may bestated as including the steps of clamping and outward turned annularflanges at theopen the bottomportion of a cylindrical metallic shellends thereof, and of particular ,applicationfor having aclosed bottomand outward turned an reducing the diameter of the open end portionnular flange at the open end, thereby holding of cylindrical rnetallicwashing machine, tubs the shell against axial and radial movement,having closed bottoms and curled flanges at the holding the shell inalignment on a roll spaced 10, reducedopenend portions and beingdrawnfrom from the flanged portion, said troll being held a single pieceorblank ofsheet metal, or having against axial and transverse movement,clampthe bottom portion welded to the cylindrical ing the flanged end ofthe shell between two rolls sheet metal portion. i 1; one of which isradially yieldable-with respect Present methods for accomplishing thereducto the shell,v and working the metal in and ad-- tion of thediameter of the open end portions of jacent to said flange by rotatingthe rolls and shells as described above consist either ofspinmoving therolls engaging the flanged end por ning, which is a slow operation, orby means of tion radially toward the axisof the shell thereby arollcontacting the outsideface ofthe, side wall reducing the diameter ofthe open end portion of a shell and moving radially toward the axis oftheshell. thereof. Both of these methods require that an he i p ovedappar t of y present inven- 20 appreciable width of stock at the openendof tion includes ,a chuck to hold t Shell against the shell extendbeyond the rolled-in lportion axial an d l m v m nts pp r r ll toprevent buckling or wrinkling of the flange; held against axial andtransverse movement and This metal must be trimmed 0 off and discardedarr ng d CQ tact the inside face of theshell 5 thereby causing asubstantial loss in material.- on ali e p d om the Open end of theshell,

Further, present methods are inadequateand a pair of rolls to g ip t eflanged end Of h slow for reducingthe diameter ofthe open end shellvtherebetween, me s i302 mov one of said portions of washing machinetubs designed for rolls, designated a forming roll, toward and awayhousehold use which are streamlined to blend from e h l, eans to rotatethe three rolls, with. the curved contourof the lids used to close i g mans o urge th e d of d p 30, V the open or top end'of the tubs. Suchclosed-in 9 r0115, designated a pr r011, against t e tube are reduced indiameter at the openend shell a t0 guide the v m of Said D as u a tinches and more; i sure roll radially with respect to the shell, saidAccordingly it is aprincipal object ofmy prespair of rolls aftergripping e l to move in pensive method for accomplishing a substantialdue? diameter of Open end portion,

reduction in the diameter of the open end por thereof- A tion ofcylindrical metallic shells having closed Theiabove and P P w featuresand fi bottoms and outward turnedfianges at theopen vantages Of myInvention W111 be apparent as sheet metal, or being of weldedconstruction as mg to accompanying drawing Which described in paragraphone, by Way of eXample, p e erred embodii i 1 l ments of the improvedapparatusy Description a further Obie of my pretentmventm of the drawingfollows; in whic r t to rovide anirnproved apparatus for reducingthediameter ofjtheopenfend portion of shells sgifii; j

desclllbefd P Q r s ends of cylindrical shells, showing the machine Alsoit is a further ,ObJGQt of my present min Vertical section; venllioll de e o om amount tm i Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken alongterialrequired to roll in orreducethe openend 1 2 z f H l portions asabove described T e Q f m Fig, 3 is across-sectional Vi EW taken alongeffected because no metal is required.,in. the;side th j ne 3.4 f Fig 2;i j

11 of the shell at the open endobeyond the f Fig. 4 isapartial plan viewshowing the gears q rolled-in portionbecauseastherollingdnopera-,in'Fig. 3; w i 3 f tionprogressesthemargin of the shellis gripped Fig.511s apartial cross-sectionalView ofthe,

rolls in Fig. 1 showing the position of the rolls at the start of therolling operation;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a variation in the top roll2|, the modification of sition by -means of plate 39 and pusher plate4|! which hold the shell firmly in place and. rotate therewith. Roll 22is mounted to rotate freely on sleeve 4| which is in turn mounted onshaft 2|] and rotates therewith. The contour of the roll 22 determinesthe contour of the rolled in end of the shell 38. Roll 2| is mounted onshaft l9 and rotates with it, and is raised for removal of the finishedshell and for reloading and is caused to feed downward and upward by adrive mechanism not shown which is convene tional for this type ofmachine. Roll 23 is hollow and mounted over shaft 20 on rollers 21, 28,29 and 3|, which are in turn mounted on cradle 30. In Fig. 2, one eachof rolls 21, 28 and 25! are shown which are positioned at the left handend of roll 23. There are three additional rolls located at the righthand end similarly tov 21,

28' and 29 the middle one of which, namely 3|, is shown in Fig. 1.Cradle 3|) is supported thru shaft 32 by air pressure in cylinder 33 sothat as roll 2| descends the end of shell 38 is held firmly betweenrolls 22 and 23 thereby preventing wrinkles forming as the shell is spunor closed in.

Shaft I9 is driven by a source of power and thru a mechanism not shownbut which is conventional for the type of machine shown. Shaft I9 ismounted in a bracket so that its axis is parallel to that of shell 38. 1This bracket is preferably hinged on an extension of the frame of themachine to move toward and away from shaft 20 in a rocking motion, orslidably mounted to move radially relatively to shell 38 by amechanism'as explained in the preceding paragraph. Shaft 20 is mountedin the frame of the machine with the axis thereof disposed parallel tothe axes of shell 38 and shaft I9 and is driven by a source of power notshown. Shaft 20 rotates in a direction opposite to that of shaft l9 andpreferably at the same speed. I

It is thus apparent that the shell 38 is caused to rotate about its axisduring the interval that roll 2| is in contact with the open end portionof the shell.

Gear 25 is integral with roll23 and is driven thru idler gear 26 andgear 24 which latter gear is mounted on shaft 2|] and rotates therewith.This provides a positive drive for roll 2Z3 as the gearsstay in mesh asroll 23 moves up and down during the rolling operation.

Cradle 3G is guided by means of guide pins 36 and 31 and cap 33 preventsroll 23 from being unseated from rolls 21, 28, 29 and 3|. It is to benoted that the drive thrust from gear 26 to gear 25 is downward and atan angle equal to the obliquity of the tooth angle as shown by line.

Bracket 34 to which bracket 35 is attached,

which carries plate 39 and sleeve 4|, is attached rigidly to the frameof the rolling machine. Bracket 35 is made separate from 34 for ease inset up and changing rolls.

Before the rolling-in operation starts the shell 38 having beenpreviously drawn or built up by welding is substantially as shown inFig. 5. The

open end may or may not be trimmed as shown but in the case of the drawnshell the flared flange facilitates rolling and conserves material. The

operation of rolling in the open end of shell 38 proceeds as follows:Shell 38, as shown in Fig. 5, is placed in position, pusher plate 40having been moved away and shaft l9 and roll 2| being raised tothe'position shown dotted. Pusher plate 40 is then returned to clampingposition and roll 2| moves downward and contacts shell 38. The roll 23is held firmly and yieldingly by means of the air in cylinder 33, andmoves downward with roll 2| during the closing-in stage of the operation. When the downward travel of roll 2| is completed it is at oncereturned to the up-position and pusher plate 40 moves away for unloadingand ready for loading the next shellto be rolled in.

While a rolling machine with horizontal shafts is shown, the method isequally well adapted to rolling'machines with vertical shafts. Further,roll 22 could be built to rotate with shaft 2|] but the preferredconstruction is as shown.

Roll 2| can be made with a groove as in Fig. 6 to receive the outwardflanged end of shell 38. This groove tends to prevent buckling of theflange during the'rolling-in operation.

The scope of .the'invention is not limited to any details shown ordescribed but includes such embodiments of the broad idea, as fallwithin the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In a metal working machine of the kind described for reducing thediameter of the open end portion of cylindrical metallicshell's eachhaving a closed bottom and an outwardly turned flange at the open endthereof, the combination comprising: means to hold a shell at the bottomportion against radialand axial movement, said means including anabutting member and an ax ial moving clamping member; a supporting rolladapted to contact theinside face of the shell; an annular roll adaptedto contact the inside face of the shell from the open end thereef to apoint adjacent to the supporting roll; a pressure device to urge theannular roll against theshell; guiding means to guide said annular rollto move radially relatively to the shell; a forming roll adapted to moveradially with respect to the shell and to contact the outside facethereof and to co-act with'the annular roll during a portion of saidmovement to hold the end portion of the shell firmly and to close insaid portion about the face and one edge of the supporting roll; andmeans to rotate the supporting roll and the forming roll therebyrotating the shell during the interval said rolls are in contact withthe shell; and means for moving the forming roll toward the annular rollto grip the shell therebetween and thereafter formoving the two saidrolls ra: dially in unison to reduce the diameter of the open endportion of the shell.

2.1 In a metal working machineof the kind described for reducing thediameter of the open end portion of cylindrical metallic shells. havingcontact the outside face of the shell and to coact with the annular rolland the supporting roll to reduce the open end portion of the shell;means for rotating the supporting roll and the forming roll, the meansfor rotating the supporting roll including a rotatable shaft whichcarries such roll; means for rotating the annular roll about its axis,comprising a train of gears driven by said shaft; and means for movingthe forming roll toward the annular roll to grip the shell therebetweenand thereafter for moving the rolls radially in unison to reduce thediameter of the open end of the shell.

3. In a metal working machine of the kind described for reducing thediameter ofthe open end portion of cylindrical metallic shells eachhaving a closed. bottom and an outwardly turned flange at the open endthereof, the combination comprising: means to hold a shell at the bottomportion against radial and axial movement, said means including anabutting member and an axial moving clamping member; a supporting rolladapted to contact the inside face of the shell and to hold the same inalignment; an an nular roll adapted to contact the inside face of theshell from the open end thereof to a point adjacent to the supportingroll; a pressure device to urge the annular r011 against the shell;guidmg means'to guide said annular roll tomove radially relatively tothe shell; a forming roll grooved to receive the outward turned flangeof the shell, and to co-act with the annular roll and thesupporting rollto reduce the open end portion of said shell; means for rotating thesupporting roll and the forming roll; and means for moving the formingro-ll toward the annular roll to grip the shell therebetween andthereafter for moving the two rolls radially in unison to reduce thediameter of the open end portion of the shell.

CARL L. CLARK.

